Plagiarism Policy Statement
Plagiarism Policy Page 1 of 4
Version: 1.4 Effective 15 August 2017
Plagiarism Policy
Version Approved by Approval date Effective date Next full review
1.4 Administrative update by the Director of Governance 8 August 2017 15 August 2017 December 2016
Policy Statement
Purpose
This Policy is the source document for defining terms related to plagiarism by the
UNSW Code of Conduct, the Student Code of Conduct, and the Research Code of
Conduct and related procedures and guidelines. It is also to be used as the sole
source of definitions for use in educational and training material for staff and students
related to preventing or handling plagiarism.
Scope This Policy applies to all staff and students in UNSW, including contract staff, visiting
staff and conjoint appointments; coursework students and research students.
Policy Provisions
1. Introduction
UNSW has an ongoing commitment to foster a culture of learning informed by academic integrity.
Plagiarism undermines academic integrity and is not tolerated at UNSW.
2. Plagiarism Policy Framework
The University manages plagiarism through a framework of policy and procedures (refer to Supporting
Information), ranging from a preventative and an educative approach through to penalties where
plagiarism is substantiated. The policy and procedures framework for managing plagiarism is illustrated
in Appendix A.
3. Roles & Responsibilities
All UNSW staff and students have a responsibility to adhere to the principle of academic integrity.
Academic staff should include this principle in their assessment design and course outlines in order to
assist students to avoid plagiarism.
The President and Vice-Chancellor has overall responsibility for supervision of the University and has
the power to impose penalties for breach of discipline or for misconduct of any kind. This power may be
delegated.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic has overall responsibility for the operation of the Student
Misconduct Procedure.
The Director, UNSW Integrity manages allegations of plagiarism under the Student Misconduct
Procedure.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic has overall responsibility for the operation of the Research Code
of Conduct.
3.1. Support & Advice
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research
Office of the Director, UNSW Integrity
Student Integrity Unit. Questions on plagiarism should be directed to studentconduct@unsw.edu.au.
3.2. Communication
Staff and students will be advised about the relevant Codes of Conduct, Procedures and Guidelines
through email, websites and publications as well as through formal and informal training.
mailto:studentconduct@unsw.edu.au
Plagiarism Policy Page 2 of 4
Version: 1.4 Effective 15 August 2017
4. Further Information
4.1. For staff
Information about assessment design to avoid plagiarism and the University’s educative approach in
managing allegations of plagiarism can be found on the Teaching Gateway and the Current Students
website.
Staff members can also find information about how to handle student misconduct matters on the UNSW
Current Students website.
Staff members can find information on academic plagiarism through the Research Ethics and
Compliance Support section of the Research Gateway.
4.2. For students
Step-by-step guides for students about avoiding plagiarism and about student misconduct matters are
available on the UNSW Current Students website.
5. Acknowledgements
The definition of plagiarism at UNSW can be found on the Current Students website and the A-Z Student
Guide (myUNSW). It was first used by the UNSW Learning Centre, for the Guidelines on student
plagiarism, hand book for students (2005). The definition was based on that proposed to the University
of Newcastle by the St James Ethics Centre and is used with kind permission from the University of
Newcastle. The examples were adapted with kind permission from the University of Melbourne.
The Office of Research Integrity paper by Dr Miguel Roig titled “Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism,
and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing”, has been relied upon to
develop the definition of Self-Plagiarism. The article can be sourced from:
http://ori.dhhs.gov/sites/default/files/plagiarism.pdf [accessed 30 May 2013].
Accountabilities
Responsible Officer Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic
Contact Officer Director, UNSW Integrity
Supporting Information
Legislative Compliance
This Policy supports the University’s compliance with the following legislation:
Nil
Supporting Documents Managing Plagiarism for Students Enrolled in Coursework Programs – Procedure
Related Documents
UNSW Code of Conduct
Student Code of Conduct
Research Code of Conduct
Student Misconduct Procedure
Handling Allegations of Research Misconduct Procedure
Assessment Policy
Superseded Documents Plagiarism Policy Statement v1.3
File Number 2016/00350
Definitions and Acronyms
Plagiarism Plagiarism at UNSW is using the words or ideas of others and passing them off as your
own. Below are examples of plagiarism including self-plagiarism.
http://ori.dhhs.gov/sites/default/files/plagiarism.pdf
Plagiarism Policy Page 3 of 4
Version: 1.4 Effective 15 August 2017
Copying
Using the same or very similar words to the original text or idea without acknowledging
the source or using quotation marks. This includes copying materials, ideas or concepts
from a book, article, report or other written document, presentation, composition,
artwork, design, drawing, circuitry, computer program or software, website, internet,
other electronic resource, or another person’s assignment, without appropriate
acknowledgement.
Inappropriate paraphrasing
Changing a few words and phrases while mostly retaining the original structure and/or
progression of ideas of the original, and information without acknowledgement. This also
applies in presentations where someone paraphrases another’s ideas or words without
credit and to piecing together quotes and paraphrases into a new whole, without
appropriate referencing.
Collusion
Presenting work as independent work when it has been produced in whole or part in
collusion with other people. Collusion includes students providing their work to another
student before the due date, or for the purpose of them plagiarising at any time, paying
another person to perform an academic task and passing it off as your own, stealing or
acquiring another person’s academic work and copying it, offering to complete another
person’s work or seeking payment for completing academic work. This should not be
confused with academic collaboration.
Inappropriate citation Citing sources which have not been read, without acknowledging the ‘secondary’ source
from which knowledge of them has been obtained.
Self-plagiarism
‘Self-plagiarism’ occurs where an author republishes their own previously written work
and presents it as new findings without referencing the earlier work, either in its entirety
or partially. Self-plagiarism is also referred to as ‘recycling’, ‘duplication’, or ‘multiple
submissions of research findings’ without disclosure. In the student context, self-
plagiarism includes re-using parts of, or all of, a body of work that has already been
submitted for assessment without proper citation.
Revision History
Version Approved by Approval date Effective date Sections modified
1.0 President and Vice-Chancellor 11 December 2013 11 December 2013 This is a new policy
1.1 Acting Head of Governance 8 January 2016 8 January 2016
References to Pro-Vice
Chancellor Students and
Contact Officer amended
1.2 Acting Head of Governance 18 February 2016 29 February 2016 Administrative updates to senior leadership positions.
1.3 Administrative update by the Director of Governance 17 August 2016 17 August 2016
Admin update to staff/unit
responsible for managing
plagiarism under the
Student Misconduct
Procedure; template
refresh
1.4 Administrative update by the Director of Governance 8 August 2017 15 August 2017
Administrative update to
senior positions
Plagiarism Policy Page 4 of 4
Version: 1.4 Effective 15 August 2017
Appendix A: Policy and Procedures Framework for Managing Plagiarism
Research Code of Conduct
Staff Code of Conduct
Procedure for Handling
Allegations of Research
Misconduct
Student Misconduct
Procedure
How to avoid plagiarism –
Student guide
Managing plagiarism for
coursework students –
guidelines for staff
Assessment Policy and
associated Procedures
Preventing plagiarism
/Learning and teaching
Assessment design
Codes of Conduct
Procedures
Related Documents
Student Code of Conduct
Plagiarism Policy Policies
Managing Plagiarism for
Students Enrolled in
Coursework Programs –
Procedure
1. Introduction
2. Plagiarism Policy Framework
3. Roles & Responsibilities
3.1. Support & Advice
3.2. Communication
4. Further Information
4.1. For staff
4.2. For students
5. Acknowledgements